By Adedapo Adesanya
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has charged the federal government to ensure massive establishment of modular refineries across the country in order to put operators of illegal refineries out of business.
Chairman of PETROAN in Rivers State, Mr Francis Chile-Dimpka, explained that the establishment of modular refineries will stamp out adulterated products and also the issue of soot in Rivers State and its environs.
Mr Chile-Dimpka lamented that the issue of adulterated petroleum products and soot in the state was becoming overwhelming and the association will fight it to stand still.
He assured that the group will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that activities of kpofire were stamped out in the state.
“We are asking the federal government to ensure the massive establishment of modular refineries as this will put the kpo fire operators out of business.
“A lot of our children are professionals in this field already, if licenses are issued to this people, the modular refineries will work and soot will stop in the state.
“The 3P compliance team is still on surveillance and we will not relent, I repeat, we will not relent until operators of illegal refineries are totally smoked out. Because we can no longer continue to suffer this lingering issue of soot in Rivers state,” he said.
PETROAN also announced that measures were in place to ensure availability and even distribution of petroleum products in petrol outlets accross the State, during the yuletide season.
Mr Chile-Dimpka, however, said there may be a slight increase in cost of petroleum products as dealers are already experiencing an increase in depot prices.
‘’Our major assignment is to ensure availability and effective distribution of petroleum product and we are resolute in doing that.
“Our only worry is that prices of petroleum product have become unstable again. We are not even too sure of the procurement price. But so long as we are able to procure at the right price, we will sell at the right price.
“We are not expecting fuel scarcity, but there may be a slight price modulation of these products, because now the landing price has actually increased.
“Members of PETROAN are now selling at a very cut-throat edge to survive in the business. But if it goes beyond this, we will have no other option than to adjust our pump price so that we will remain in this business,” he disclosed.
Modupe Gbadeyanka